In fiscal 2022-23, the Airports Authority of India is likely to procure two counter-drone systems! The document issued by the airport systems directorate of the AAI said the counter-drone system should provide a multi-sensor based complete and comprehensive solution with regards to drone detection, identification, tracking as well as naturalisation. The document stated that in the financial year 2022-23, the Airports Authority of India is projected to purchase two counter drone systems with an estimated value of procurement of Rs 9.9 crore, according to a PTI report. This year, in the month of June, rogue drones had dropped two bombs at the IAF station at Jammu airport, injuring two personnel.
Reacting to the attack in June, Smit Shah, Director – Partnerships, Drone Federation of India (DFI), had said that more should be invested by India in counter-drone research and technology as well as procure them in a planned manner in order to address the security concerns arising from rogue operations, the unmanned aerial vehicles. India has a few firms doing indigenous research and also some companies partnering with foreign vendors but more focus needs to be brought in this domain of counter-drone technology, Shah had noted. Counter-drone technology, to stop unmanned aerial vehicles, uses radars, electro-optical methods, radio-frequency devices, acoustic mechanisms or combined sensors technology.
A policy document was issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry in October 2019 primarily to deal with possible security challenges from rogue drones to key installations such as nuclear power plants as well as military bases. According to the document, multiple incidents of sightings of drones in the vicinity of commercial airliners as well as major airports such as Mumbai and New Delhi have raised flight safety concerns. Further, the threat quotient has been increased for VVIPs who can be targeted through rogue drones, with the upsurge in drone use. According to the report, there is no official data about the number of civilian drones operating in the country. However, it is estimated that in India there are about four to six lakh drones.